


You and I

by whenineternal



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sun&Moon inspired, Too much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 02:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12831576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenineternal/pseuds/whenineternal
Summary: Doyoung goes away for a week and neither of them could anticipate how hard it would be.





	You and I

He isn’t particularly surprised about the place he ended up in. With Doyoung gone, several time zones away, their small two-room apartment was too big, too cold for him to spend another moment there on his own. Doyoung’s childhood home is too far from his university, but he doesn’t care about the commute. He needs something that feels like home and that has only ever been Doyoung.

Surrounded by Doyoung’s things in his old room, the narrow bed that has always been too small for them both, but that they have always made do with anyway, the faded turquoise beanbag chair where they had their very first kiss; he feels Doyoung’s presence more than anywhere else. 

“Are you sure you don’t want the guest room Jaehyun? It has a bigger bed,” Doyoung’s mother is standing beside him, hands folded in front of her chest, fingers tapping together. She is so much like Doyoung, or rather, Doyoung is so much like her. 

“No, it has to be here,” he says, uncaring that he comes off so pathetic sounding to the woman who, for all intents and purposes, is his mother in law. 

“It’s only a week, dear” she says and leaves him, not a trace of pity in her voice. Jaehyun knows she understands, she wasn’t thrilled about Doyoung taking that internship either. When the sound of her moving down the stairs fade away, Jaehyun flops onto the bed and curls his arms around the old, raggedy teddy bear resting on the pillow. 

“I wasn’t prepared for it to be this hard, Twinkle,” he mourns to the stuffed bear. It always annoys Doyoung when he talks to it, mostly because Doyoung used to do it before Jaehyun found out, but this time there is no annoyed huff, no ridiculing scoff or a whine for him to “stop it”. It’s just quiet. 

He looks out at the multicoloured sky, slowly growing dark as night creeps closer and the moon rises in the sky. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he writes a short message and hits send. 

_Good Morning <3_

He gets a reply within seconds. 

_Good night, I love you <3_

He debates with himself for several moments if he should reply, but he knows Doyoung is busy and anyway, he already knows. Instead he leaves it on read and curls together on his side, hiding his face in Doyoung’s pillow. 

 

He wakes in the middle of the night, stiff from having slept in his clothes, and his phone is lit up with three messages from Doyoung. 

_I hope you’re sleeping by now,_ is the first one, then;  _just wanted to show you this._  The third message is a picture of a beautifully blooming garden, Doyoung’s shiny, new shoes peeking up from the bottom of the shot. Doyoung always throws his feet out to photobomb his pictures. Jaehyun has always found it cute. 

He takes the risk and hopes Doyoung is alone as he calls him instead of replying with a text. 

“Why aren’t you asleep?” Is the first thing Doyoung says when he picks up.  Jaehyun laughs sleepily and mumbles an apology. 

“I was asleep, you woke me up,” he says and bites his lips together to not laugh when Doyoung immediately turns apologetic. 

“I miss you,” he cuts into Doyoung’s fussing, his sleepiness leaving room for total honesty. 

“I miss you too baby,” Doyoung says on reflex. It’s still soft and quiet and Jaehyun feels the sincerity in his bones. Doyoung may not have as much time to miss him, but Jaehyun doesn’t doubt that it’s hard for him as well. 

“Twinkle says hi,” he says just to hear that annoyed scoff. 

“When will you stop being so childish?” Doyoung says gruffly, but with no real malice. 

“Probably never,” he replies, smiling until his eyes curve into crescents. 

“I hope that’s true, Jaehyunna,” Doyoung mumbles and the small speech quirk of his that is so audible whenever Doyoung says his name, makes Jaehyun feel warm even in the chilly air of the room. 

“What are you having for lunch?” He asks, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder when he gets up to pull his clothes off. 

“Just a salad and some bread. We’re going to a Korean barbecue restaurant later so I want to be hungry,” Doyoung says and Jaehyun can hear him chew on a crispy piece of lettuce. 

“You sound like me,” Jaehyun laughs and then he drops his phone as he attempts to pull his night shirt on. 

“-you doing?” he catches the tail-end of Doyoung’s sentence when he hurries to pick his phone back up from the floor. 

“Getting dressed for bed,” he mumbles, preoccupied with getting his arm unstuck from the sleeve of his large t-shirt. 

“I thought you said you were sleeping,” Doyoung says and he can hear his frown through the phone. 

“I was!” He exclaims quietly and Doyoung only hums. Jaehyun knows Doyoung has figured out where he is and probably also why, but they don’t have to talk about it. They are quiet for a long time then and Jaehyun has settled back into bed before Doyoung speaks again. 

“I have to go Jaehyunna,” he whispers and Jaehyun swallows around the sudden lump in his throat. He has never missed Doyoung before. Ever since they met at a mutual friend’s party when Jaehyun was a freshman in university they have been no more than a brisk walk apart.  They spend so much time together there hasn’t been any to spare on missing each other. Even when they’re arguing they’ll sit on opposite ends of the sofa only, until they work it out. 

_“It will be good for us, healthy”_ Doyoung had said before he left, but Jaehyun highly disagree. He doesn’t like missing Doyoung. 

“Send me pictures of your dinner later,” he says, clearing his throat and wiping a hand over his eyes. 

“I will,” Doyoung whispers and then he takes a deep breath and holds it, letting it slowly out through his nose. 

“I love you,” he says and there is a lilt to his voice, a thin, high sound that is like a punch to the stomach as it reminds him so much of the times he has seen Doyoung cry. 

“I love you too,” he says and then there is quiet between them for a few more seconds before the call disconnects. 

 

He can’t sleep after that and is out of bed only a couple hours later, in time to eat breakfast with Doyoung’s father before he leaves for work. Doyoung’s mother fusses over him as much as Doyoung does, urging him to go out, take a walk or go back into the city for the day. 

“Take your mind of it,” she says as she flits around the kitchen, cleaning and cleaning again. She is wiping the shelves in the fridge when Jaehyun decides to walk to the store for some snacks. He ends up wandering the streets, nibbling on dried fruit, for close to two hours before he makes his way back. 

Donghyun is waiting for him when he steps through the door, catching him in a brief hug before he can get his shoes off. Doyoung, or perhaps even their mother, must have called him. 

“You look very cute in Doyoung’s clothes,” he says and laughs. Jaehyun smiles despite himself and even if Doyoung isn’t there, he steps into Donghyun’s space for another, longer hug. It’s an ongoing joke between the three of them that Jaehyun likes Donghyun better than he likes Doyoung. Not true of course, but he loves Donghyun a lot all the same; all of Doyoung’s family has become his family in the three years they have been together. 

“Hyung, make me some tea? I’m cold,” he mumbles into Donghyun’s shoulder and Donghyun ruffles his hair when they separate. 

“Mom already made some,” he says and steps out of the entryway and disappears around the corner. Jaehyun follows him after a second, his steps getting quicker when he smells the chocolatey scent of warm cookies floating from the kitchen. 

Donghyun doesn’t leave until both his parents have gone to bed and Jaehyun’s eyelids have grown heavy and he has slipped low into the soft armchair. He lays a heavy hand on top of Jaehyun’s head when he passes him and ruffles his hair slightly. 

“Go to bed Jaehyun,” he mumbles lowly and Jaehyun unconsciously nuzzles into his hand, breathing a sleepy sigh as his lips curve into a small smile. He hears an amused chuckle and then the hand in his hair gives him a rougher tousle before retreating. 

“Still Donghyun, Jaehyuna,” Donghyun says and then he’s off. 

 

The next two days Jaehyun spends in lectures and holed up in a corner of the library working on assignments that aren’t due for another month, at least. He texts Doyoung every other hour and gets replies in bulks whenever Doyoung has a minute to spare. By the time he leaves the library, it’s dark outside and the courtyard is empty of people and Doyoung’s phone has seventeen new selfies of him pouting at the camera. 

His phone pings with a new message from Doyoung as he sits down in the warm bus. 

_I miss you too._

It hits him then that this is something they are going to have to get used to. This is only the first of probably many more trips like it that Doyoung will take during his internship. He can only hope that it will get easier. 

_I don’t want to get used to this_ , he writes and Doyoung replies in seconds. 

_Terrible as it sounds, I really don’t want you to._  

_Don’t worry about that,_  he writes back. Jaehyun can’t fathom not missing Doyoung when he’s not there. 

_I’m so tired of flying....._ , Doyoung writes and Jaehyun smiles down at his phone in sympathy. Doyoung has flown from Seoul to New York to Hamburg in the span of five days, he can understand his exhaustion. 

_Do you want me to pick you up at the airport when you get back?_  He asks, chewing on the corner of his lip. He wants to see Doyoung as soon as possible, but he also wants to kiss him and he knows Doyoung isn’t too big on public displays of affection. 

_No need, I get a payed taxi by the company._   _Just be at the apartment please,_ Doyoung writes back and Jaehyun nods even though he knows the other can’t see him. 

_Of course_. 

For the billionth time, he is hit with the urge to tell Doyoung he wishes he never took this internship, but like every other time, he keeps it to himself. Doyoung said it himself that it’s not ideal to be traveling so much, but it was too good of an opportunity for him to pass it up. And Jaehyun is proud of him, no matter how much he hates that Doyoung is halfway across the world from him only to attend conferences as a guest. 

_Two more days baby,_ Doyoung writes and Jaehyun wants to call him then and there to hear those words spoken in Doyoung’s voice. Hear how soft it gets whenever Doyoung calls him that. Before he can make the call, Doyoung sends him another message. One significantly less appreciated. 

_Got to go, call me before you go to sleep okay?_

Jaehyun bites his lips together when he types a reply and closes his phone after Doyoung sends him a heart emoji in return. Two days suddenly feel like an eternity and there is nothing Jaehyun wants more than to speed up time until he can hold Doyoung in his arms again. 

 

He sleeps in the next day, head still swimming with thoughts about Doyoung and accounting and Doyoung and sums of income and expenses. He debates with himself whether or not to try and do some more work on his assignments, as it served as an okay distraction the last two days, but ultimately decides not to. He can’t quite fathom why he even tried it without Doyoung there to help him. Numbers and smarts have always been Doyoung’s thing. Jaehyun wouldn’t even be taking those classes if it weren’t for Doyoung rationalising that he would need it if he ever wanted to run his own business. He didn’t want to reveal that he had dreamt they could do it together. 

“Jaehyun?” A light voice calls from the hallway and two gentle raps on the door follows. 

“Yes mom?” He calls back, tugging the duvet up to his chin and curling together. 

“I’m going to the store; do you want to come with?” She asks, humming a soft laugh when Jaehyun immediately rejects the offer. He doesn’t want to leave his warm bed just yet. 

“I’m making stir-fried pork for dinner, don’t eat too much for lunch okay?” She laughs and Jaehyun can hear her walk away without waiting for a response from him. She knows how much he loves her stir-fried pork, is probably expecting him to barely eat a thing in anticipation for it. His stomach is rumbling however so he reluctantly gets out of bed only ten minutes later, wrapping a blanket around himself as he shuffles sleepily to the kitchen. He grabs a yoghurt from the fridge and a banana from the bowl on the counter and is about to shuffle back to his room when a yellow note on the table catches his attention. It’s a recipe, he recognises it at once, and a happy little smile settles on his lips when he folds it once and tucks it into the pocket of his pink hoodie. He has asked his mother in law several times if she will teach him how to make her stir-fried pork; it seems like he is finally getting his wish. 

“Taste of mom, I’ll call it,” he muses to himself then grimaces a second later, “no, that sounds weird.”

 

The food is simmering on the stove when Jaehyun spots Doyoung getting out of a black sedan down on the street. He looks smart in his suit and coat, though a little ruffled and weary. Jaehyun watches him until he disappears inside the building and then he counts the seconds until the door opens to their apartment, the sound of the rubber sweep across the floor reminiscent of the sigh of relief Jaehyun releases at the sight of Doyoung’s face. 

“Hey,” he says, quiet as he crosses the floor on socked feet to wrap his arms tightly around Doyoung’s chest. It’s a bit of a struggle for Doyoung to do the same to him, his arms weighed down by his thick, heavy coat, but when Doyoung’s thin arms wrap around him and folds him inside the warmth emanating from his chest, Jaehyun finally feels at ease again. 

“I missed you so much,” Doyoung whispers, mouth pressed to Jaehyun’s ear. Jaehyun only hums as they continue to hold each other, standing just inside the door with the yellow light from the hallway slipping over their feet. Doyoung is a tiny bit taller than him in his shoes and Jaehyun takes advantage of it to hide his face in Doyoung’s neck. His eyes are wet, almost overflowing with tears, but he doesn’t want Doyoung to see. That would be embarrassing.

“I can tell that you’re crying,” Doyoung chuckles, slipping a hand down to Jaehyun’s waist and pinching him. Jaehyun takes a step back and clears his throat, refusing to wipe his eyes even as a single tear slips over his eyelid.

“I’m not crying,” he mumbles and Doyoung laughs for a very short second before all that is forgotten as they rush to get close again, and their lips meet in a desperate kiss. Doyoung shrugs out of his coat and lets it fall to the floor as Jaehyun fumbles to push the door closed, backing Doyoung into it to make sure it shuts properly. At the sound of Doyoung’s shoes being kicked off one by one, Jaehyun digs his fingers into the silky material of Doyoung’s suit jacket and tugs at the lapels to bring him even closer. Their movements are desperate in the way they are after a long night spent riling each other up, but Jaehyun’s heart beats fast with relief instead of excitement, and all he wants to do is kiss Doyoung and hold him close and have dinner with him and cuddle with him on their sofa to watch a late-night movie.

“What did you make for dinner?” Doyoung mumbles against his mouth when they reach the living room, slipping his hands under Jaehyun’s shirt.

“Stir-fried pork, your mom’s recipe,” he mumbles in reply, shrinking back a little as Doyoung’s cold hands settle on his skin. Doyoung pulls back and blinks at him for several seconds.

“That’s good enough to postpone sex for another hour,” he says and Jaehyun laughs, both because he wholeheartedly agrees, but mostly because he is just so happy. He wanted to surprise Doyoung with this, and he got just the reaction he was hoping for.

“Never go away again,” he pleads, tugging Doyoung as close as possible and running his hands everywhere he can reach, pressing tiny kisses to his mouth. Doyoung groans quietly and wraps his arms tightly around Jaehyun’s waist and plants a hard, proper kiss on his lips.

“Wait until we have reunion sex to say that,” he grins against Jaehyun’s mouth and swipes his tongue over his lips.

“You might change your mind.”


End file.
